Laundry-marking tag



Oct. 9, v192s. 1,687,361

E. J. CARROLL ET AL LAUNDRY MARKI NG TAG Filed April 29, 1927 /NVNTORSda NEY5` l ATTO Patented oci, 9, 1928.

vUNiTED STA EMIL J. CARROLL, or NORWOOD, AND-GEORGEW; JOHNSON, or' BONDHILL, OHIO, AssIGNoRs yro THE AMERICAN LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, OENORWOOD s'rA- TION,'OHIO, A CORIPORA'IIONOI` OHIO.

LAUNDRY-MARKING TAG.

I Application led April 29, 1927. Serial Noy 187,560.

This invention relates to marking apparatus for fabric articles'toxbetreated and,

particularlyv to that type of such apparatus wherein non-corrosivemarkers are applied to the yseveral articles with suitableidentification means for properly classifyingsuch arti--` cles, as forexample, the identification of the Wash of anindvidual Wherebyit may beseparated or sorted from a larger -mass of articles" belonging to othersaftera laundering process. i

The present invention yaims to Overcome some of the diiicultiesencountered heretofore in such identifying and sorting apparatus andmarkers by providing a normally open clamping marker having clampingparts,

justable holding device in the form of a staple embracing the clampingparts beyond the edge of the fabric article, and thereby holding theclamp in closed position upon v the article and at the same time beingadjustable for various thicknesses of material. Thesemarkers, in someinstances, identified in lots or groups or, in fact, in any desiredarrangement, one suitable' arrangementrbeing where each marker isprovided with an identification number and with a physical configurationidentifying it With a suitably identified rack preferably in the form ofa hollow rail with .a slot at tlie'bottom providing lips or flanges forsupporting the markers and with an entrance or gate at ythe front andbottom adapted to permit the insertion of the marker upwardly into therack. For the purpose of causing each rack .to receive its own.particular articles as distinct from others, it is provided Within andat its top with a suitable cross. sectional configuration, with thenotched recesses at the end of its oWn marl-:er thereby identifying andassorting the articles belonging to that particular rack.

Important phases of the invention are the following, to. Wit, the normalspring opening of tlieclanipiiig parts of the marker to facilitaterelease and application to thefabiic article; the holding of theseclamping parts in place by means beyond the edge of the marker and of atype to be inherently adjustable to -tlie position of the twoclampingmem- 4bers'When engaging articles of various thicksecured tothe articleby an adwill be formed bar adapted by its i. to correspond f bend atransverse bead 'engaging the other nesses; the provision of means forincreasing the life ofthe spring marker when made Ofa side of themarker; the particular configuration of the rack with its entrance gate;and. means for vcentering the marker into the gate.l

Other features and phasesof the invention kwill be brought out. in4connection Withl the following description, drawings and claims. Inthevdrawings, Fig; l' is aside view partly in section showing theapparatus; Fig. 2 isa vertical section' just ahead of one of gate; Fig.3 shows the marker in open position; Fig. 4 is a view ofthe stapleyFig.5 shows an assembled marker clamped to the article; Fig. 6 isalongitudinal section;

,65 the markers as it is` located in the entrance 7 is asectionthroughthewaists of the clamp-.f Y ingV members; and Fig. Sis a'modiedform of marker made up of two separate'pieces vas'v opposed to theoriepiece marker as shown in the other figured, v

In the embodiment Wall or other mainsupport. Projecting from thissupport l is a tubular rack of substantially rectangular formin crosssection com- A i ,75 set fort-h inthe draW- v ings, the apparatuscomprisesa suitablesup-- port ladapted to'be applied or secured to a todesignate the particular rack.` Tor the rear of the end Wall randnotched outof the flanges 5 is a suitable entrance opening or i gate 7ofsuitable` size and configuration to.'

readily receive the markers vertically,`as Will appear. Secured to theside Walls 3 and'll and extending Ydown beyond the ends ofthe opening orgate 7 are suitable guiding clips'8 having outwardly bent spring ends 9to facilitate the entrance of the lmarker into the opening orl gate.

Any

length, size or arrangementof racks may be employed to carry outanydesired requirements for the system `to be employed.-

The racks already described are used in conjunction With markersapplied2 to the rfabric ioo articles and the-se markers," "as shown, Aare Yformed, in oney arrangement, of a single-strip thev upper wall 2 of therack. One side 13 ofeach marker, the lower as shown in Fig. 5, is

fiat and is notched at 14 to form a waist. The outer end of this memberis therclamping portion or jaw reference character 15 and its innersurface is provided with projections 16 for a purpose to be described.The other marker member 17 isprovided with a.'transverseinwardly projecti ng bead 18engaging the'inner surface Y of thev lowen member 13 tovrelieve the `bent endaportion of some ofthe strain and to inl` creasethe spring opening effect of the marker.V This member .17 lis notched at19 to form a narrow waist corresponding in all respects the projections16 to the similar arrangement of the lower member. The clamping jaw 20ofthis member 17 is provided with openings 21 registeringl with to produceprojections in .the fabric and assist in holding the marker uponthearticle. The outer upper face of the member 17 at the waist isprovided with a depression`22 .at the center for a purpose to bedescribed vThese markers have a normal-tendency to spring open as'shownin Fig. 8 and are held clamped uponthe article by a staple 23 appliedin'2L11Y-suitable'manner at the waists of the two members 13 and 17.

By using a staple :of this kind the clampingjaws 15 and 2O may f sary.In using a staple to y and at thesame time the be applied to the articleand the staple applied to hold the clamping members together beyond theedge of the fabric so that no -perforation of the'fabric for the stapleis neceshold the clamping membersclosed upon the article such holdingmeans becomesy at clamping aws will be brought tightly against thearticle by the confining action ofthe staple I Y l staple, when crimpedover will-not'create such an undue holding action upon the clampingmembers that the outer ends of the jaws are separated as would be thecase where a slidable band or the like was vmoved up along the clampingmembers and did not have a variable holding characteristic In otherwords, when the marker is applied to a relatively .thin fabric thestaple will be crimped up tighter. When applied to a thick article it,will be extended somewhat. It is in this sense that the staple becomesan adjustable holding device for the clamping members of the marker.When the marker is applied the flimsy yielding fabric follows the upperjaw 15 and portions of the fabric are forced up into the openings 21 ofthe upper clamping jaw .so that a stronghold of the marker upon thefabric results. v 1

and is here designated by the' once adjustable since' the.

'upper clamping. member 31.

ample, the various laundryarticlesof a cus-l tomer are ,conveyed tothemarking room or any other suitable point.'v Here. the customer isdelegated'a; certain number or other similar indication. The markerscorresponding to vthismarlr'or` indication are applied to the variouslaundry articles belonging to .that customer. After being suitablymarked the several articles pass through the various laun dering steps,the markers being made of suit able material so as not to be affected bythe' various materials in the laundry process and be of such sizeand-shape that they pass through the various machines employed includingthe flat work ironer. When the arti; cles have been laundered they .aresorted and by a suitable designation upon each marker they are carriedto the corresponding rack. To check the mental assortment made bytheemployee the notches 11 and the rail 12 Vare provided in connection withthe marker-and rack so that when the markeris inserted in` f the rack bythe employee, if the proper men#l tal and physical assortment has beenmade A by the employee, then the' rack will receive the marker anda-lljoth ersofits kind wherebyl the customers articles when properlymarked' are already assembled and may be handled as a'group.` f Y 'n' Inthe modification shown in Fig. 8, theV .marker is specifically of-alittle different form. In 'this arrangement one member, the lower -oneas shown, is a single flat piece of metal 25-prov1ded v105 portion 25 isan upper clamping end portion 110 29 bent up slightly at 30 and thensprung Y away from the lower member to provide anv Y This member islikewise provided ywith'a waist at 32. yThe two members are securedtogether by suitable 115 j rivets 3.3. Thisrmarker issubstantially ofthe same thickness astlie other .marker and mayl possess someadvantageous features to recommend its use over the single piece marker.

What we claim is:

1. A laundry marker comprisingy a re-useable main portion havingself-opening jaws,

a destructible and removable clamping means embracing Vsaid jaws, andmeans for preventing jaw releasing movement of said clamping means.

l 2. Ina Vdevice of theclass described in claim 1 wherein the clampingmeans is a metallic device crimped over oppositey sides of the '130 4.In a device ofthe class described in claim l wherein the clamping jawsare recessed at their edges for receiving the clamping means.

5. In a device of the class described in claim l wherein the clampingjaws are provided with waist-like recesses to receive the clampingmeans. Y v 6. In a device of the class described in claim l wherein oneof the clamping means is provided With a recess in the region of theclamp` ing means for facilitating the insertion of a removing tool underthe clamping means.

In testimony whereof We hereby affix our signatures. i vEMIL J. CARROLL.

GEORGE W. JOHNSON.

